WHAT’S ON: Australia Day events around Mackay
Australia's national holiday is just around the corner.
So dust off your Aussie flag boardies, slap on your thongs and fire up the barbecue - here's the Daily Mercury's guide of Australia Day events happening around the region on January 26:
Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony
Mayor Greg Williamson will welcome more than 80 new citizens at the MECC.
Time: 10am
Place: The MECC
Australia Day at Sarina Beach (free)
Enjoy a barbecue, water slide and heaps of fun competitions like fastest man on the sand and wheelbarrow races. Cash prizes are also up for grabs. BYO picnic blanket and chair.
Time: From noon
Place: Sarina Beach, Sarina Esplanade (Hosted by Sarina Surf Life Saving Club)
Aussie Family Barbecue at Quota Park
Activities on the day will include a free barbecue and plenty of beach game activities for the kids and family like tug of war, thong throwing and sand castle building competition.
Time: From 11am
Place: Quota Park - Southern end of Binnington Esplanade, Mackay (Hosted by Mackay & District Australian South Sea Islander Association Inc)
Aussie Family Fun Day
Activities will include a jumping castle/water slide, AFL grudge match (juniors versus parents), volley ball (round robin), cricket match and free barbecue lunch.
Time: From 10am
Place: Zeolla Park AFL Grounds (Hosted by North Mackay Saints AFL)
Come on over, we're home celebration
Weet-bix eating competition, thong throwing competition, lamington eating competition, children's house making activity and housing trivial pursuit game.
Time: From 10am
Place: Iluka Park, Binnington Esplanade (Hosted by St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland)
Habana Aussie Day
Community picnic (BYO) and traditional Australia Day activities including sand castle building on our "borrowed" beach, backyard cricket, inflatable water play, lamington eating, tug of war and thong throwing. Cold drinks and meat pies will be available for sale.
Time: From 3pm
Place: Habana Community Precinct, 1091 Mackay-Habana Rd (Hosteby by Habana and Districts Progress Association)
Pancakes and Play in the Park
Shed Happens Mackay, a local men's support group, will run heaps of games and group sharing activities during the event and free pancakes. The games will be family oriented and will include three-legged races, sack races and egg and spoon races.
Time: From 10.30am
Place: On the grass area near the Mackay Sugar Bowl, Scriha Street, North Mackay
Sail Away on Australia Day
Get sailing this Australia Day with a fun-filled adventure at Kinchant Dam. The event will include a free sausage sizzle, fun races, heaps of prizes and a commodore's sail past.
Time: From 10am
Place: "Sailor's corner", Kinchant Dam Road, Kinchant Dam (Hosted by Mackay Sailing Club)
Sarina's Big Bash Aussie Day
Activities will include thong-throwing competition, big game of cricket, cockroaches race, Aussie foods and best-dressed competition.
Time: From 10.30am
Place: Brewers Park, Sarina (Hosted by Sarina Demons Junior AFL Club Inc)
St Helens Beach Australia Day
Activities will include Aussie-themed community barbecue including camp oven, Australian best-dressed competition, beach cricket and Australiana trivia quiz.
Time: From 11am
Place: Repulse Esplanade, St Helens Beach (Hosted by St Helens Beach Progress and Environment Association Inc.)
Shamrock Hotel's Australia Day party
Games, great prizes, free face painting and a barbecue.
Time: From 11am
Place: 165 Nebo Rd Mackay
Austral Hotel's Austral Day
Grab the microphone and tell your best Aussie yarn, along with a classic game of thong throwing.
Time: From 10am
Place: Austral Hotel (Victoria St)
Australia Day Beach Party (free event)
Giant water slide, beach volleyball and Aussie Day activities. Take your rug and relax, with entertainment by R & R Unlimited.
Time: From 9.30am
Place: Mackay Surf Life Saving Club
Australia Day at Harrup Park (free event)
Live music from MARKUS, food and drink specials, pie and lamington eating competition, live sport on the big screen and meat tray raffles.
Time: From 10am
Place: Harrup Park, 89 Juliet St, Mackay
Smoke Fest Australia Day at the drags
A day of drag racing and burnouts.
Time: From 8am
Place: Palmyra Drag Racing Club
Australia Day at Eimeo Beach (hosted by Eimeo Surf Life Saving Club)
Games, a water slide, tug-o-war, table tennis, beach cricket, a sausage sizzle and live music.
Time: From 2pm
Place: Eimeo Esplanade
Australia Day at the Burb
Competitions, pie and lamington eating contest, live music and free lawn bowls.
Time: From 10am
Place: Souths Surburban Bowls Club - 39 Wardrop St, West Mackay
Australia Day at the Galley
All Australian music, plus come dressed in your best Aussie attire with prizes to be won.
Time: Monday, January 25 - 7pm to 4am
Place: The Gallery Lounge and Bar
Australia Day - Carmila Sportsground
The free event will include a water slide and barbecue.
Time: From 10.30am
Place: Carmila Sportsground
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Australia Day at Seabreeze Hotel (free event)
Featuring live music by Mango Junction, jumping castles, face painting, and Aussie games for the kids. Competitions for the 'best mullet' and the 'best dressed Aussie bogan'.
Time: From 2pm
Place: 72 Pacific Esplanade, Mackay
Australia Day - Glenden Pool
Annual Australia Day celebrations with free entry to the pool.
Time: From 2pm
Place: Bell Pl, Glenden
Australia Day Pinnacle Family Hotel
Take a blanket and picnic basket (buy a famous Pinnacle Meat Pie) and enjoy the entertainment.
Time: From 11am
Place: Pinnacle Family Hotel - 21 Child Street, Pinnacle
Australia Day - St Lawrence Sportsgrounds
The free event will include a water slide and barbecue.
Time: From 3pm
Place: Macartney St, St Lawrence
Australia Day At The Bowlsie
Great Aussie Sausage Sizzle with the first 500 snags free, DJ Funky, water slide, jumping castle, games and prizes to be won.
Time: From 11am
Place: Mackay Northern Beaches Bowls Club
Moranbah Australia Day Triathlon
The adult's triathlon consists of an 800m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run and for the juniors under 16 years, the course will cover a 400m swim, 5km cycle and 1.5km run.
A free barbecue breakfast and presentation of winners will follow the completion of the event.
Time: From 6am
Place: Moranbah Swimming Pool
Banksia Scout Australia Day Open Day
Making damper, crate stacking, rope bridge, experiments, soft archery, thong-throwing, sausage sizzle plus lots more. BYO sunscreen, closed in shoes and chairs.
Time: From 10am
Place: 53 Fernleigh Ave, Andergrove
Did we miss your Australia Day event? Email: melanie.whiting@news.com.au with details
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